US7442078B1 - Micro-adjustable and quick-locking adaptor for electrical junction box - Google Patents
Micro-adjustable and quick-locking adaptor for electrical junction box Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US7442078B1 US7442078B1 US12/008,763 US876308A US7442078B1 US 7442078 B1 US7442078 B1 US 7442078B1 US 876308 A US876308 A US 876308A US 7442078 B1 US7442078 B1 US 7442078B1
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- cable connector
- adaptor
- sleeve
- wall opening
- wall
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Fee Related
Links
- 230000037431 insertion Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 6
- 238000003780 insertion Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 6
- 235000013290 Sagittaria latifolia Nutrition 0.000 claims description 4
- 235000015246 common arrowhead Nutrition 0.000 claims description 4
- 230000000717 retained effect Effects 0.000 claims description 2
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 description 2
- 229910052751 metal Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 229910000831 Steel Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000013013 elastic material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 150000002739 metals Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 239000004033 plastic Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000010959 steel Substances 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
- H01R13/00—Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
- H01R13/73—Means for mounting coupling parts to apparatus or structures, e.g. to a wall
- H01R13/74—Means for mounting coupling parts in openings of a panel
- H01R13/741—Means for mounting coupling parts in openings of a panel using snap fastening means
- H01R13/745—Means for mounting coupling parts in openings of a panel using snap fastening means separate from the housing
Definitions
- U.S. Pat. No. 6,827,604 disclosed a “One-piece Snap-in Connector for Electrical Junction Box” characterized by snap-in locking fingers positioned apart on the leading or the insertion end of the electrical connection fitting.
- the locking fingers ( 20 , 21 ) may lock the connector on a wall of the junction box. However, there is not provided with teeth on the fingers in order to firmly “bite” the opening edge of the box wall. If the box wall is very thin (having smaller thickness), the connector may not be firmly or stably fastened on the wall of the junction box, because an aperture exists between the fingers ( 20 ) and the collar ( 16 ), thereby allowing a free sliding movement of the front portion of the connector through the opening ( 12 ) of the box wall, and causing unstable mounting of the connector on the electrical junction box.
- the present inventor has found the drawbacks of the prior art, and invented the present adapter which can be micro-adjustable and quickly lockable on a junction box.
- the object of the present invention is to provide an adaptor for electrical junction box comprising: a split sleeve insertable through a wall opening of a box wall of a junction box, and coupled on a cable connector; a plurality of resilient chucking members each integrally formed on the sleeve and sloping rearwardly upwardly from the sleeve to be resiliently compressibly engaged with the wall opening; each chucking member having a plurality of ratchet teeth gradationally formed on the chucking member, whereby upon a forward insertion of the adaptor into the wall opening of the junction box, the split sleeve will be resiliently fastened on the cable connector, and the wall opening will be firmly engaged with the ratchet teeth to stably lock the adaptor and the cable connector on the box wall to prevent a backlash movement of the adaptor and the cable connector.
- FIG. 1 is a sectional drawing of the present invention as coupled to a cable connector secured on a wall of a junction box.
- FIG. 2 is a partial enlarged view of the present invention as shown in FIG. 1 .
- FIG. 3 is an illustration of the present invention.
- FIG. 4 shows another preferred embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 5 shows another cable connector as used in the present invention.
- the present invention discloses an adaptor 1 , which is coupled to a cable connector 2 for connecting a cable 3 especially for a connecting a metal clad cable in order to be locked and secured on a box wall 4 of an electrical junction box.
- the adaptor 1 includes: a split sleeve 10 generally formed as a cylindrical shape and insertable through a wall opening 41 of the box wall 4 and releasably coupled to a front tube portion 21 of the cable connector 2 , a leading edge portion 11 formed on a front end of the sleeve 10 to be contiguous to a front arrow-head portion 22 of the cable connector 2 , and a plurality of resilient chucking members 13 each integrally resiliently formed on the sleeve 10 and sloping rearwardly upwardly from the leading edge portion 11 towards a trailing edge portion 12 of the sleeve 10 to be resiliently compressibly engaged with the wall opening 41 , a notch 14 circumferentially cut out in the sleeve and diverging rearwardly from the leading edge portion 11 towards the trailing edge portion 12 , a pair of ridge portions 16 formed on each chucking member 13 and respectively juxtapositioned to the notch 14 and each ridge portion 16 having a plurality of ratchet
- Each notch 14 may be formed as a Y shape, including a front slit 141 linearly cut out in a front portion of the sleeve 10 , and a diverging port 142 enlarged rearwardly from the front slit 141 towards the trailing edge portion 12 of the sleeve 10 , having the pair of ridge portions 16 juxtapositionally formed on opposite sides of the diverging port 142 and each ridge portion 16 having the plurality of ratchet teeth 15 gradationally formed on the ridge portion 16 , whereby upon a forward insertion of the cable connector 2 into the wall opening 41 of the box wall 4 of the junction box, each resilient chucking member 13 will be compressed radially by the rim 42 of the wall opening 41 to radially fasten the split sleeve 10 on the front tube portion 21 of the cable connector 2 ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ), while the rim 42 of the box wall 4 will be bitten or engaged by each tooth of the ratchet teeth 15 to thereby lock the adaptor 1 and cable
- each of the ratchet teeth 15 may be gradually engaged with the wall opening 41 in a tooth-by-tooth way, the adaptor 1 and the connector 2 will be stably locked on the box wall in a micro-adjustable way, especially in view of FIG. 2 to be either suitably adapted for a thin wall having a thinner thickness T 1 or a thick wall (dotted line) having a thicker thickness T 2 .
- the present invention provides an adaptor 1 for a cable connector, which can be stably locked on a junction box wall simultaneously in a quicker way, but also in a micro-adjustable way, to be superior to the prior art which is especially lacking of micro-adjusting mechanism as effected by the present invention.
- the adaptor 1 may be made of elastic materials, including steel, plastic or metals, not limited in the present invention.
- the adaptor 1 includes a free-end slit 17 longitudinally cut out through a length (or height) of the sleeve 10 to be releasably coupled with the cable connector 2 .
- the cable connector 2 further includes a shoulder portion 23 annularly formed on a rear tube portion 24 of the connector 2 , opposite to the front tube portion 21 , to be forwardly limited against the box wall 4 as shown in FIG. 1 .
- a cable 3 may be fastened on the rear tube portion 24 as shown in FIG. 1 .
- the adaptor 1 may further include a limiting ring 5 , which may be a rubber ring, retained in between the front arrow-head portion 22 of the cable connector 2 and the leading edge portion 11 of the sleeve 10 , to absolutely prevent a backward retraction (B) of the cable connector 2 as shown in FIG. 4 .
- a limiting ring 5 which may be a rubber ring, retained in between the front arrow-head portion 22 of the cable connector 2 and the leading edge portion 11 of the sleeve 10 , to absolutely prevent a backward retraction (B) of the cable connector 2 as shown in FIG. 4 .
- a cable fastener 25 is further provided on the cable connector 2 in order to firmly hold the cable 3 in the connector 2 .
- FIG. 5 another cable fastener 25 a is provided for fastening the cable 3 in the connector 2 .
Landscapes
- Details Of Connecting Devices For Male And Female Coupling (AREA)
Abstract
An adaptor for electrical junction box comprises: a split sleeve insertable through a wall opening of a box wall of a junction box, and coupled on a cable connector; a plurality of resilient chucking members each integrally formed on the sleeve and sloping rearwardly upwardly from the sleeve to be resiliently compressibly engaged with the wall opening; each chucking member having a plurality of ratchet teeth gradationally formed on the chucking member, whereby upon a forward insertion of the adaptor into the wall opening of the junction box, the split sleeve will be resiliently fastened on the cable connector, and the wall opening will be firmly engaged with the ratchet teeth to stably lock the adaptor and the cable connector on the box wall to prevent a backlash movement of the adaptor and the cable connector.
Description
U.S. Pat. No. 6,827,604 disclosed a “One-piece Snap-in Connector for Electrical Junction Box” characterized by snap-in locking fingers positioned apart on the leading or the insertion end of the electrical connection fitting.
The locking fingers (20, 21) may lock the connector on a wall of the junction box. However, there is not provided with teeth on the fingers in order to firmly “bite” the opening edge of the box wall. If the box wall is very thin (having smaller thickness), the connector may not be firmly or stably fastened on the wall of the junction box, because an aperture exists between the fingers (20) and the collar (16), thereby allowing a free sliding movement of the front portion of the connector through the opening (12) of the box wall, and causing unstable mounting of the connector on the electrical junction box.
The present inventor has found the drawbacks of the prior art, and invented the present adapter which can be micro-adjustable and quickly lockable on a junction box.
The object of the present invention is to provide an adaptor for electrical junction box comprising: a split sleeve insertable through a wall opening of a box wall of a junction box, and coupled on a cable connector; a plurality of resilient chucking members each integrally formed on the sleeve and sloping rearwardly upwardly from the sleeve to be resiliently compressibly engaged with the wall opening; each chucking member having a plurality of ratchet teeth gradationally formed on the chucking member, whereby upon a forward insertion of the adaptor into the wall opening of the junction box, the split sleeve will be resiliently fastened on the cable connector, and the wall opening will be firmly engaged with the ratchet teeth to stably lock the adaptor and the cable connector on the box wall to prevent a backlash movement of the adaptor and the cable connector.
As shown in FIGS. 1˜3 , the present invention discloses an adaptor 1, which is coupled to a cable connector 2 for connecting a cable 3 especially for a connecting a metal clad cable in order to be locked and secured on a box wall 4 of an electrical junction box.
The adaptor 1 includes: a split sleeve 10 generally formed as a cylindrical shape and insertable through a wall opening 41 of the box wall 4 and releasably coupled to a front tube portion 21 of the cable connector 2, a leading edge portion 11 formed on a front end of the sleeve 10 to be contiguous to a front arrow-head portion 22 of the cable connector 2, and a plurality of resilient chucking members 13 each integrally resiliently formed on the sleeve 10 and sloping rearwardly upwardly from the leading edge portion 11 towards a trailing edge portion 12 of the sleeve 10 to be resiliently compressibly engaged with the wall opening 41, a notch 14 circumferentially cut out in the sleeve and diverging rearwardly from the leading edge portion 11 towards the trailing edge portion 12, a pair of ridge portions 16 formed on each chucking member 13 and respectively juxtapositioned to the notch 14 and each ridge portion 16 having a plurality of ratchet teeth 15 gradationally formed on the ridge portion 16; having each tooth of the ratchet teeth 15 forwardly sliding over a rim 42 of the wall opening 41 when forwardly inserting the front tube portion 21 of the cable connector 2 through the wall opening 41 (direction F), and each tooth rearwardly retarded by the rim 42 of the wall opening 41 as shown in FIG. 2 , thereby limiting a backlash movement of the adaptor 1 and the cable connector 2 as coupled with the adaptor 1.
Each notch 14 may be formed as a Y shape, including a front slit 141 linearly cut out in a front portion of the sleeve 10, and a diverging port 142 enlarged rearwardly from the front slit 141 towards the trailing edge portion 12 of the sleeve 10, having the pair of ridge portions 16 juxtapositionally formed on opposite sides of the diverging port 142 and each ridge portion 16 having the plurality of ratchet teeth 15 gradationally formed on the ridge portion 16, whereby upon a forward insertion of the cable connector 2 into the wall opening 41 of the box wall 4 of the junction box, each resilient chucking member 13 will be compressed radially by the rim 42 of the wall opening 41 to radially fasten the split sleeve 10 on the front tube portion 21 of the cable connector 2 (FIGS. 1 and 2 ), while the rim 42 of the box wall 4 will be bitten or engaged by each tooth of the ratchet teeth 15 to thereby lock the adaptor 1 and cable connector 2 on the wall of the junction box in a quick way.
Since each of the ratchet teeth 15 may be gradually engaged with the wall opening 41 in a tooth-by-tooth way, the adaptor 1 and the connector 2 will be stably locked on the box wall in a micro-adjustable way, especially in view of FIG. 2 to be either suitably adapted for a thin wall having a thinner thickness T1 or a thick wall (dotted line) having a thicker thickness T2.
Therefore, the present invention provides an adaptor 1 for a cable connector, which can be stably locked on a junction box wall simultaneously in a quicker way, but also in a micro-adjustable way, to be superior to the prior art which is especially lacking of micro-adjusting mechanism as effected by the present invention.
The adaptor 1 may be made of elastic materials, including steel, plastic or metals, not limited in the present invention.
The adaptor 1 includes a free-end slit 17 longitudinally cut out through a length (or height) of the sleeve 10 to be releasably coupled with the cable connector 2.
The cable connector 2 further includes a shoulder portion 23 annularly formed on a rear tube portion 24 of the connector 2, opposite to the front tube portion 21, to be forwardly limited against the box wall 4 as shown in FIG. 1 . A cable 3 may be fastened on the rear tube portion 24 as shown in FIG. 1 .
The adaptor 1 may further include a limiting ring 5, which may be a rubber ring, retained in between the front arrow-head portion 22 of the cable connector 2 and the leading edge portion 11 of the sleeve 10, to absolutely prevent a backward retraction (B) of the cable connector 2 as shown in FIG. 4 .
In FIG. 4 , a cable fastener 25 is further provided on the cable connector 2 in order to firmly hold the cable 3 in the connector 2.
In FIG. 5 , another cable fastener 25 a is provided for fastening the cable 3 in the connector 2.
The present invention may be further modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Claims (4)
1. An adaptor for electrical junction box comprising: a split sleeve insertable through a wall opening of a box wall of a junction box, and coupled on a cable connector; a plurality of resilient chucking members each integrally formed on the sleeve and sloping rearwardly upwardly from the sleeve to be resiliently compressibly engaged with the wall opening; each said chucking member having a plurality of ratchet teeth gradationally formed on the chucking member, whereby upon a forward insertion of the adaptor into the wall opening of the junction box, the split sleeve will be resiliently fastened on the cable connector, and the wall opening will be firmly engaged with the ratchet teeth to stably lock the adaptor and the cable connector on the box wall to prevent a backlash movement of the adaptor and the cable connector;
said adaptor including: said split sleeve generally formed as a cylindrical shape and insertable through the wall opening of the box wall and releasably coupled to a front tube portion of the cable connector, a leading edge portion formed on a front end of the sleeve to be contiguous to a front arrow-head portion of the cable connector, and said plurality of resilient chucking members each integrally resiliently formed on the sleeve and sloping rearwardly upwardly from the leading edge portion towards a trailing edge portion of the sleeve to be resiliently compressibly engaged with the wall opening, a notch circumferentially cut out in the sleeve and diverging rearwardly from the leading edge portion towards the trailing edge portion, a pair of ridge portions formed on each said chucking member and respectively juxtapositioned to the notch and each said ridge portion having said plurality of ratchet teeth gradationally formed on the ridge portion; having each tooth of the ratchet teeth forwardly sliding over a rim of the wall opening when forwardly inserting the front tube portion of the cable connector through the wall opening, and each said tooth rearwardly retarded by the rim of the wall opening, thereby limiting a backlash movement of the adaptor and the cable connector as coupled with the adaptor.
2. An adaptor according to claim 1 , wherein said notch is formed as a Y shape, and including a front slit linearly cut out in a front portion of the sleeve, and a diverging port enlarged rearwardly from the front slit towards the trailing edge portion of the sleeve, having the pair of ridge portions juxtapositionally formed on opposite sides of the diverging port and each said ridge portion having the plurality of ratchet teeth gradationally formed on the ridge portion, whereby upon a forward insertion of the cable connector into the wall opening of the box wall of the junction box, each said resilient chucking member will be compressed radially by the rim of the wall opening to radially fasten the split sleeve on the front tube portion of the cable connector, and the rim of the wall opening of the box wall will be bitten or engaged by each said tooth of the ratchet teeth to thereby lock the adaptor and cable connector on the wall of the junction box.
3. An adaptor according to claim 1 , wherein said adaptor includes a free-end slit longitudinally cut out through a length of the sleeve to be releasably coupled with the cable connector.
4. An adaptor according to claim 1 , wherein said adaptor further includes a limiting ring, retained in between the front arrow-head portion of the cable connector and the leading edge portion of the sleeve, to absolutely prevent a backward retraction of the cable connector.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US12/008,763 US7442078B1 (en) | 2008-01-15 | 2008-01-15 | Micro-adjustable and quick-locking adaptor for electrical junction box |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US12/008,763 US7442078B1 (en) | 2008-01-15 | 2008-01-15 | Micro-adjustable and quick-locking adaptor for electrical junction box |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| US7442078B1 true US7442078B1 (en) | 2008-10-28 |
Family
ID=39874273
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| US12/008,763 Expired - Fee Related US7442078B1 (en) | 2008-01-15 | 2008-01-15 | Micro-adjustable and quick-locking adaptor for electrical junction box |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| US (1) | US7442078B1 (en) |
Cited By (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US20110266022A1 (en) * | 2008-10-07 | 2011-11-03 | Orbit Industries, Inc. | Adjustable Variable Ring for Electrical Junction Boxes |
| WO2015120815A1 (en) * | 2014-02-17 | 2015-08-20 | SENKO Advanced Components (HK) Ltd. | Connector mount plate for reducing rattling |
| US20180287311A1 (en) * | 2015-12-01 | 2018-10-04 | Connecteurs Electriques Deutsch | Snap-Lock Relay Socket |
| US10186804B2 (en) | 2017-06-20 | 2019-01-22 | Amphenol Corporation | Cable connector with backshell locking |
| US20200028301A1 (en) * | 2018-07-18 | 2020-01-23 | Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha | Connector holder and electronic apparatus equipped with the same |
Citations (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US973567A (en) * | 1908-10-09 | 1910-10-25 | Frank J Russell | Sign-receptacle fastening. |
| US6596939B1 (en) * | 2001-12-26 | 2003-07-22 | Arlington Industries, Inc. | Threaded snap in connector |
-
2008
- 2008-01-15 US US12/008,763 patent/US7442078B1/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Patent Citations (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US973567A (en) * | 1908-10-09 | 1910-10-25 | Frank J Russell | Sign-receptacle fastening. |
| US6596939B1 (en) * | 2001-12-26 | 2003-07-22 | Arlington Industries, Inc. | Threaded snap in connector |
Cited By (7)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US20110266022A1 (en) * | 2008-10-07 | 2011-11-03 | Orbit Industries, Inc. | Adjustable Variable Ring for Electrical Junction Boxes |
| US8536452B2 (en) * | 2008-10-07 | 2013-09-17 | Orbit Industries, Inc. | Adjustable variable ring for electrical junction boxes |
| WO2015120815A1 (en) * | 2014-02-17 | 2015-08-20 | SENKO Advanced Components (HK) Ltd. | Connector mount plate for reducing rattling |
| US9470849B2 (en) | 2014-02-17 | 2016-10-18 | SENKO Advanced Components (HK) Ltd. | Connector mount plate for reducing rattling |
| US20180287311A1 (en) * | 2015-12-01 | 2018-10-04 | Connecteurs Electriques Deutsch | Snap-Lock Relay Socket |
| US10186804B2 (en) | 2017-06-20 | 2019-01-22 | Amphenol Corporation | Cable connector with backshell locking |
| US20200028301A1 (en) * | 2018-07-18 | 2020-01-23 | Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha | Connector holder and electronic apparatus equipped with the same |
Similar Documents
| Publication | Publication Date | Title |
|---|---|---|
| US7442078B1 (en) | Micro-adjustable and quick-locking adaptor for electrical junction box | |
| JP4176644B2 (en) | Cutting tools | |
| CN111406351B (en) | Cable fixing device | |
| US20220290708A1 (en) | Anchor assembly for fastener | |
| US8740256B2 (en) | Quick connector assembly | |
| TWI279502B (en) | Pipe joint | |
| US7921753B2 (en) | Screw locking tool | |
| EP1488156B1 (en) | Clamp | |
| US20210010503A1 (en) | Quick- disconnect fastening system | |
| US20180038526A1 (en) | Micro-Duct Reclamation Compression Coupling | |
| JPS6019435A (en) | Two-split type freely adjustable fishing rod handle | |
| JP3652496B2 (en) | Piping connection structure | |
| JP3403149B2 (en) | Flexible pipe joint | |
| JPH087660Y2 (en) | Holder | |
| JP3670327B2 (en) | Knock mechanical pencil | |
| EP0291866A1 (en) | Knock-action Mechanical Pencil | |
| CN2604784Y (en) | Squeeze Cable Glands | |
| JP2008275054A (en) | Clamp holder | |
| JP2004148761A (en) | Pen-point mounting structure | |
| JP2003106488A (en) | Pipe connection structure | |
| JP2003232471A (en) | Fastening fitting for conduit pipe | |
| JP4405295B2 (en) | Connecting bracket | |
| JP3331335B2 (en) | Flexible pipe joint | |
| JP2000320752A (en) | Pull-out jig | |
| JPS6240169Y2 (en) |
Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| REMI | Maintenance fee reminder mailed | ||
| LAPS | Lapse for failure to pay maintenance fees | ||
| STCH | Information on status: patent discontinuation |
Free format text: PATENT EXPIRED DUE TO NONPAYMENT OF MAINTENANCE FEES UNDER 37 CFR 1.362 |
|
| FP | Lapsed due to failure to pay maintenance fee |
Effective date: 20121028 |